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How to actually get authorities to take action on benefit frauds

354 replies

Hattieandcake · 23/01/2026 21:49

Examples reported and nothing done -

  • someone taking cash in hand for dogs - evidence sent online of cash only sales and also including social media showing lifestyle and purchase
  • someone who is lying that they are single having a partner living at their government address with ring footage available that they live their permanently - also taking cash in hand jobs - evident on footage
  • someone putting their SAHM wife on payroll to reduce income claimed - no work done for the business

These are only 2 of many and nothing is done, I am sick to death of it.

OP posts:
LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 16:05

rememberingthem · 27/01/2026 15:39

In a way you are correct i dont 100% know. However considering the ways that the people i know who commit benefit fraud are doing it, an investigation or surveillance would most likely have caught them out! I know people who pretend to be single while living with a full time working partner, people who exaggerate health conditions to claim pip, people who work cash in hand while claiming to be to ill/ disabled to work and people who are self employed who do lots of work cash in hand and don’t declare their full earnings to universal credit. So any sort of in depth investigation or surveillance would have definitely caught them out!

Blimey you know an awful lot of "interesting" people....😅

Boomer55 · 28/01/2026 16:07

Thechaseison71 · 28/01/2026 15:28

Surprised the housing told you that someone wasnt on a tenancy. Surely thats some kind of data breach?

Edited

It is and they wouldn’t disclose this. 🙄

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 16:09

Boomer55 · 28/01/2026 16:07

It is and they wouldn’t disclose this. 🙄

They definitely wouldn't. There are extremely strict data protection rules about this for extremely obvious reasons! Including but not limited to protecting survivors of DV and abuse.

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 17:21

JustAnotherWhinger · 28/01/2026 13:02

my house is on the end with an L shape so the ring door covers the next 2 house front door very clearly. I have been encouraged to keep this footage and keep submitting.

And this kind of thing needs proper dealing with.

Recoding people on their own doorstep is ridiculous and it being so socially acceptable atm is very bizarre.

There's no chance anyone official anywhere has "encouraged" you to keep recording where you shouldn't be recording - it's absolutely unusable for them

I can't record my own doorstep without also recording the two doorsteps of the houses directly across the street. There's nothing illegal about it as long as I don't harass them with it. And if they do get a break in I'm sure they'll be very happy to see my footage, as I would be to see theirs.

Ring doorbell footage has been used to catch criminals and procecute them. It's extremely useful. I'm sure the people whose cat was stolen by an Amazon subcontractor the other day was immensely grateful for the ring doorbell footage.

It's just modern life these days. If you don't want to be caught on camera doing something wrong, then don't do it.

HRTQueen · 28/01/2026 17:27

good lord why not direct your anger towards people who are really damaging the economy the vast numbers of extremely wealthy people using tax avoidance schemes

JohnTheRevelator · 28/01/2026 17:37

I didn't realise it was an offence to take cash in hand for dog services. Or any services actually.

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 17:38

JohnTheRevelator · 28/01/2026 17:37

I didn't realise it was an offence to take cash in hand for dog services. Or any services actually.

It isn't.

UserFront242 · 28/01/2026 17:46

JohnTheRevelator · 28/01/2026 17:37

I didn't realise it was an offence to take cash in hand for dog services. Or any services actually.

It isn't, and I am not sure how anyone can claim anyone else is working and not declaring it unless then are privy to their finances.
I am sure OP's ring doorbell can not see through the house to any HMRC paperwork.
You can also be signed off sick, on benefits, and still work as long as the nature of the work does not contradict the reason you are signed off.
If you earn so much, then it can affect your benefits though.

Reassurancells · 28/01/2026 17:48

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 17:21

I can't record my own doorstep without also recording the two doorsteps of the houses directly across the street. There's nothing illegal about it as long as I don't harass them with it. And if they do get a break in I'm sure they'll be very happy to see my footage, as I would be to see theirs.

Ring doorbell footage has been used to catch criminals and procecute them. It's extremely useful. I'm sure the people whose cat was stolen by an Amazon subcontractor the other day was immensely grateful for the ring doorbell footage.

It's just modern life these days. If you don't want to be caught on camera doing something wrong, then don't do it.

Edited

You should have their doors blocked off.

JustAnotherWhinger · 28/01/2026 17:53

I can't record my own doorstep without also recording the two doorsteps of the houses directly across the street. There's nothing illegal about it as long as I don't harass them with it. And if they do get a break in I'm sure they'll be very happy to see my footage, as I would be to see theirs.

Most people can easily use the privacy software to block out other people's doors. Most just don't bother because they see no issue with recording other people.

Have you asked them that? Or just assumed that's what they'd think because you do.

Ring doorbell footage has been used to catch criminals and procecute them. It's extremely useful. I'm sure the people whose cat was stolen by an Amazon subcontractor the other day was immensely grateful for the ring doorbell footage.

Catching small areas of the street is one thing, and generally isn't an issue as most is covered by CCTV anyway. The OP in this case is deliberately recording other people's doorways - that's not normal and shouldn't be instantly acceptable.

It's just modern life these days. If you don't want to be caught on camera doing something wrong, then don't do it.

I don't want to be caught by nosy neighbours on my own doorstep fixing my trousers, or telling off my child, having a row my husband, or anything. It's not just about doing something wrong. It's the casual acceptance that your neighbour should be allowed to record you on your own doorstep that annoys me - there would be all sorts said if my DH stood on the doorstep and pointed his phone camera at the house opposite for hours on end, yet the folks across the way can record me and my children and that's ok because it's a doorbell therefore might solve a crime...

People should have more manners about their neighbours spaces.

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 18:24

Reassurancells · 28/01/2026 17:48

You should have their doors blocked off.

Thats what I have been advised by police in the past.

Reassurancells · 28/01/2026 18:25

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 18:24

Thats what I have been advised by police in the past.

It’s such a shame that the police don’t know data protection requirements. That’s very unfortunate.

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 18:26

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 17:21

I can't record my own doorstep without also recording the two doorsteps of the houses directly across the street. There's nothing illegal about it as long as I don't harass them with it. And if they do get a break in I'm sure they'll be very happy to see my footage, as I would be to see theirs.

Ring doorbell footage has been used to catch criminals and procecute them. It's extremely useful. I'm sure the people whose cat was stolen by an Amazon subcontractor the other day was immensely grateful for the ring doorbell footage.

It's just modern life these days. If you don't want to be caught on camera doing something wrong, then don't do it.

Edited

Thats just blatantly a lie. You can use your ring doorbell without recording your neighbours, because the tech allows you to do so. You just don't WANT to.

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 18:27

Reassurancells · 28/01/2026 18:25

It’s such a shame that the police don’t know data protection requirements. That’s very unfortunate.

I was clarifying that the police have advised me in the past to block certain areas on my CCTV range- quite rightly.

quittingsugar2026 · 28/01/2026 18:27

Itsmetheflamingo · 24/01/2026 11:55

And how do they buy food and pay for electric then?

By going to work like the rest of us maybe?

Reassurancells · 28/01/2026 18:31

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 18:27

I was clarifying that the police have advised me in the past to block certain areas on my CCTV range- quite rightly.

Ah sorry - I misunderstood

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 19:15

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 18:26

Thats just blatantly a lie. You can use your ring doorbell without recording your neighbours, because the tech allows you to do so. You just don't WANT to.

Do not accuse me of lying. I was completely unaware that depth restriction was possible.

And in any case it isn't illegal to record your neighbours. It is only illegal to use that recording to harass them.

And my opposite neighbour is an old woman on her own who likes the fact that we can tell her who calls at her front door.

You sound incrediblly aggressive about this, I take it you don't like ring doorbells? I love them. The more there are on the estate the happier I am.

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 19:26

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 19:15

Do not accuse me of lying. I was completely unaware that depth restriction was possible.

And in any case it isn't illegal to record your neighbours. It is only illegal to use that recording to harass them.

And my opposite neighbour is an old woman on her own who likes the fact that we can tell her who calls at her front door.

You sound incrediblly aggressive about this, I take it you don't like ring doorbells? I love them. The more there are on the estate the happier I am.

OK, I don't have anything to do with the tech around the house and I've checked up and I was well out of date. It seems my tech support is not aware of the GDPR rules. I've updated him.

JustAnotherWhinger · 28/01/2026 19:54

You sound incrediblly aggressive about this, I take it you don't like ring doorbells? I love them. The more there are on the estate the happier I am.

The more people record their own property the better.

Not liking the fact many people now casually record other people's front doors and gardens without any respect for if that neighbour wants it, and that people don't even bother to find out how to properly work their doorbells, is not the same as not liking the doorbells.

It's not liking people with no manners or respect for their neighbours privacy.

carnivalqueenthethird · 28/01/2026 21:03

UserFront242 · 23/01/2026 22:21

UC covers several benefits.

If someone is unfit for work, they will have been assessed and deemed so by the DWP. Not some randomer on MN.

😂😂 pigs must fly past your house every day as well

UserFront242 · 28/01/2026 21:08

carnivalqueenthethird · 28/01/2026 21:03

😂😂 pigs must fly past your house every day as well

It is not up to anyone other than the DWP to determine someone's fitness to work.

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 28/01/2026 21:26

Why is it ok to pursue tax cheats and to fume about them on MN, but not benefit cheats?

Why do posters go on about the evils of tax avoidance, which is perfectly legal (unlike tax evasion), but say that people claiming benefits to the max, which is perfectly legal, are doing nothing wrong?

Just more virtue signalling I suppose.

LilyBunch25 · 28/01/2026 21:36

Imdunfer · 28/01/2026 19:15

Do not accuse me of lying. I was completely unaware that depth restriction was possible.

And in any case it isn't illegal to record your neighbours. It is only illegal to use that recording to harass them.

And my opposite neighbour is an old woman on her own who likes the fact that we can tell her who calls at her front door.

You sound incrediblly aggressive about this, I take it you don't like ring doorbells? I love them. The more there are on the estate the happier I am.

I am a great believer in home security which is why I have CCTV. However I use it responsibly and without infringing in an unacceptable way on other peoples privacy. Amazing how you can use all the tech you have to record, download and submit all that footage and yet try to claim no one in your household knew its capture can be restricted. So, I 100% stand by not believing you want to restrict it at all.

SENDChaos · 01/03/2026 01:07

Hattieandcake · 23/01/2026 21:49

Examples reported and nothing done -

  • someone taking cash in hand for dogs - evidence sent online of cash only sales and also including social media showing lifestyle and purchase
  • someone who is lying that they are single having a partner living at their government address with ring footage available that they live their permanently - also taking cash in hand jobs - evident on footage
  • someone putting their SAHM wife on payroll to reduce income claimed - no work done for the business

These are only 2 of many and nothing is done, I am sick to death of it.

This is very simple:

it’s not illegal to breed as a hobby

how do you know they’re claiming single occupancy?

how do you know this persons business financial details?

SENDChaos · 01/03/2026 01:30

It is also illegal to use ring doorbell footage of a person who is unaware they are being recorded while in they lines of their property.

think it’s you that need to be reported